There is an excellent chance that the Oakland Athletics, Major League Baseball’s most pleasant surprise in 2012, will not be able to sneak up on anybody in 2013. This is the bad news for this club. And it really doesn’t add up to all that much trouble.

Roy Halladay’s velocity has been a topic of conversation since last spring.

Pitching in his first game since signing a $175 million contract extension, Mariners ace Felix Hernandez gave up one run in two innings of work Thursday against the Royals and pronounced himself stronger than a year ago as he begins his ninth Major League season.

Carlos Marmol was pulled before he could finish his inning against the White Sox, but manager Dale Sveum said Marmol has done better this spring than last year.

In February 2011, some five weeks after his granddaughter, Christina-Taylor Green, was murdered by a bullet from the gun of Jared Lee Loughner, Dallas Green stood outside the Phillies’ Spring Training complex wearing sunglasses that failed to hide the moisture around his eyes.

During his trip to the Orioles’ spring facility, Cal Ripken Jr. said Thursday he would keep an open mind about potential opportunities to return to the organization down the road.

The Pirates have an unprecedented collection of former No. 1 picks in the First-Year Player Draft on their Major League club and throughout their system, and in the very near future, as many as 11 of them could be on the field together. Although Draft number does not necessarily determine a player’s future, Pittsburgh has a deep commitment to developing players, which bodes well for the team’s future success.

Former Dodger Adrian Beltre slugged a two-run homer off former Rangers teammate Mark Lowe, and Leonys Martin drove in three runs for the Rangers as they tied the Dodgers, 11-11, at Camelback Ranch on Thursday.

It appears that one of the great careers in baseball history will be ending this year. Mariano Rivera is expected to announce on Saturday that he intends to retire following the 2013 season.

It has been a long journey for R.A. Dickey from the depths of the mighty Missouri River to a start on Friday night for Team USA against Mexico in the World Baseball Classic at Chase Field.

Guillermo Moscoso allowed five runs, including a grand slam, in the fourth inning as the Royals took their first spring loss, a 12-2 thumping by the Mariners on Thursday. Ervin Santana allowed a run over the first three innings.

It could have been worse. The timing could have been worse and the injury could have been worse for Mark Teixeira. That doesn’t mean the Yankees’ first baseman isn’t disappointed.

The Yankees announced Thursday that Derek Jeter has received final medical clearance to begin full baseball activities. He is expected to be at the team’s Spring Training facility in Tampa on Friday.

Left-hander Chris Sale agreed to a five-year, $32.5 million extension with the White Sox on Thursday.

Joel Hanrahan would much rather struggle under the Grapefruit League sun than that glaring spotlight that comes with playing games for the Red Sox when the games start counting in April.

Though Albert Pujols made his spring debut on Tuesday, he did it in the designated hitter’s slot while the Angels stood ready to use a designated runner for Pujols if he made it on base. He went 0-for-3, and spent the following two days working on running drills in preparation for his next start, expected to come on Friday at home against the D-backs.

Aaron Hicks hit three home runs and a two-run single as the Twins erased a five-run deficit en route to a 10-6 win over the Phillies on Thursday afternoon at Bright House Field.